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PRODUCER CORNER

 


Captain Radio™ Productions


Captain Radio | Shane Lamb | Kevin Middleton

Captain Radio™ is a busy fellow! He ...

VISION

Captain Radio CaricatureCaptain Radio™ actively seeks to restore audio production, in general, and audio drama scripting and production, specifically, to the apex that it occupied in American culture when it suffered sudden, untimely co-optation by television. CR believes that radio, particularly in its creative aspect, never really peaked. Further, even without scientific studies that show the fact to be true, CR believes that audio content received by the open mind expands consciousness and knowledge and stimulates curiosity, whereas modern video content generally produces contraction.

If this site succeeds fully, visitors will eventually be able to ...

HISTORY

Richard Summers (Captain Radio™'s real-life alter ego, not Chip Xavier as in the audio action-adventure-comedy series) began writing creatively to dispel homework boredom. From the third grade on he created original short stories containing all the words on his spelling lists. An avid book and comics reader fascinated by youth science fiction, such as the Tom Swift series, Richard then turned to creating his own comic strips (you will not be "treated" to samples here, so don't bother searching ... ;) In high school, he authored a complete unpublished novel, Neptune's Lair which very well may appear here soon as a pilot on the CR5D channel.

While attending Angelo State University to earn an undergraduate degree, Richard part-timed as an evening on-air personality at now defunct radio staton KWLW in his hometown, San Angelo, Texas. For awhile KWLW tried to revive OTR ("Old-Time Radio"), setting aside prime-time blocks to re-run classics such as X Minus One and The Man Called X (the station manager seemed obsessed with programs having "X" in the title ... ;) While loading and airing these shows, Richard became fascinated with the " stage of the mind", which later he resolved into "the 5th Dimension of Imagination."

He has never forgotten the turning point when he knew he wanted one day to write radio drama: During one mid-1970's dry spell in radio advertising sales, legendary creative radio copyist Stan Freberg produced a PSA setting the record straight pretty much once and for all on the unique value of radio. Freberg begins by describing a Lake Michigan drained and refilled with hot chocolate. Thereafter, a giant mountain of whipped cream slides off a ramp out into the lake and is overflown by a Canadian Air Force plane that drops a ten-ton Marischino cherry on the mountain as 25,000 wildly cheering extras look on. ( Listen for yourself! ) Thereafter, Richard never thought of either radio or television the same.

However, only decades later in 2010 did Richard decide he must either pursue or abandon his dream. He then providentially surfed to Fred Greenhalgh's excellent Radio Drama Revival web site and discovered a kindred spirit already in full pursuit of a very similar dream, creating contemporary audio drama content with Golden Age of Radio style and modern production recording and editing technique. Immediately, the Captain Radio™ persona and motif formed in Richard's "5th Dimension.

The rest, we hope, Audionauts™, will be history ...

Captain Radio Title


SHANE LAMB

Shane Lamb PhotoShane began playing piano at age five and has been addicted to music making ever since.  He grew up in Alabama, but moved to Austin to continue his musical studies.  He recently graduated with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Composition from the University of Texas at Austin and also received a Piano Performance Certificate.  Shane has written pieces for all different ensembles including string quartets, brass quintets, and flute choirs.  He has also composed music for several films.  Aside from classical music, Shane also has a love for popular music.  When he first moved to Austin, Shane bought a keyboard and helped form the rock band The Tonewheels, and he is currently performing with an instrumental progressive rock trio called Black Ladder.  Writing music for Captain Radio in the 5th Dimension™, as well as for the spin-off project, Odyssey AudioWorks™, is a new challenge that he is looking forward too.

If you would like to inquire of Shane about composing original audiotrack music for your production, please use his Contact page.


KEVIN MIDDLETON

Shane Lamb Photo Kevin Middleton is a freelance illustrator.  In addition to Captain Radio art, Kevin creates cartoon maps (with animation!), gift caricatures, t-shirts, prints, posters, greeting cards, specialty items. Kevin is an event caricaturist for parties in the Austin, Texas metro area. 

For more about Kevin and his work, or to contact him about creating cartoon graphics for your production or web site, go to www.FunGraphix.com or visit his Contact page. Grab a t-shirt from hundreds of Fun Graphix designs and be sure to tell Kevin, "Howdy, ya'll!"